The Need For Blood
by QueenOfTheUniverse
Summary: Angela will do anything possible to keep Jacob alive, even if it means slowly killing herself. Thanks to Trelawney, Jacob now requires Angela's blood to stay alive. It's the perfect way to kill them both.
1. part 1

The Net: "The Need For Blood": Chapter 1

A/N: This is an edited version of the previous story, though not much has changed. This story will be a part of my two story work entitled "Blood and Determination" at the WriterCon conference 2006. (The second story is "Still Running") If you are a part of WriterCon, (and if you're not) I would love any comments you may have, so head to the bottom of the page where you will find the comment submit button after each chapter. This story is by no means a final version, just so you know. If you're not from WriterCon and want to know more about it, check out their website: please note, this would never happen on the show! Just my wild imagination at work! OK? Enough of all that? Good. Have fun reading, enjoy my work and don't forget to post comments! Thanks!

✠

Guards on either side of Angela and behind her held AK-47s at the ready as Trelawney lead her down a long hallway. Just the day before she and Jacob had been minding their own business, plotting revenge against the Praetorians when they'd been set upon by Sean himself. The last thing she remembered before waking up in a cold dark room was a cloth covering her mouth. When she'd woken up, she was on a cement floor of an empty room and her hands were handcuffed behind her back. After spending a night pacing the dark room her enemy had finally come to collect her to do whatever evil deed he had planned. She could only hope he was taking her to see Jacob before he possibly finished her off for good.

Sean took her into a room reminiscent of a high-tech hospital's emergency surgery room complete with medical equipment ranging from stethoscopes to computerized surgery devices. He stepped aside, to allow Angela a better view of the room. She saw a sleek metal operating table, and on that table, was Jacob. He looked to be unconscious, and he was strapped to the table.

"Jacob! What did you do to him! Is he OK!"

"Oh, he's just fine. No need to worry. Now, if you just sit right here, then maybe he'll come around soon."

"What's that supposed to mean? How is my sitting down supposed to help him? That doesn't make any sense!"

"Oh trust me, it will. It will. Now, just sit in this chair here."

Sean motioned to a chair nearby. Angela sat down and before she could say anything the guards had her hands uncuffed and strapped to the chair.

"What's going on! What are you doing! Get away from me!"

Trelawney had pulled out a syringe and handed it to a doctor in a lab coat who had just entered the room. He began aiming it for her arm. Angela tried to move, but the restraints prevented her from doing so. She felt the slight pain of the needle entering her skin, and she closed her eyes tight. A few minutes later she felt the needle moving a bit. She opened one eye to see that he was changing the vile, taking out the previous empty one now filled with a red liquid and inserting another empty vile. Her whole body shivered and she closed her eye again. She didn't know exactly how long she sat there, but she was beginning to feel a little faint. And then, the needle was taken out of her arm. She was handed a glass of water as Sean emptied all ten vials of her blood into a sippy cup meant for children. He then covered it, and sat it down on a nearby table.

Suddenly, Jacob began to stir and wake up. "Angel?" He looked in her direction. "Where are we? What happened?"

"Here kid, drink this and you'll feel a lot better," the doctor instructed as he handed Jacob the sippy cup, after unstrapping him from the table.

Jacob took the cup from him and gulped down it's contents like there was no tomorrow. When he'd finished, he licked his lips and looked around for more. His eyes widened when Sean Trelawney came into his view.

"Hello, Jacob Resh."

"YOU! What's going on! What did you do to her?"

"Oh I wouldn't worry about Angela, after all, you're the one on the operating table."

"What?"

"You want to know what you just drank that tasted so good?"

Jacob didn't say anything, just stared at the man.

"That was Angela's blood."


	2. part 2

The Net: "The Need For Blood": Chapter 2

A/N: I should also place a thank you to those who have comments on the previously unedited version! Thanks! You guys rock! (And help me to keep my pen in gear on the paper!)

✠

Jacob nearly choked when he heard Trelawney's words. "Pardon me?"

"You heard me. And from now on, that's the only thing that will keep you alive."

"Wh…wha….what?"

"We changed your genes to that of a vampire. Vampires, as you know, drink blood, and only blood. But we made you a little special. Not just any blood will do for you. We took a sample of Angela's blood awhile back when she'd been shot. Yeah, she left quite a bit of blood lying around. So, we took some and formulated your genes to her blood. So, you're slightly different than that of a regular vampire.You have to have Angela's blood and no one else's. Or you will die."

Sean took the restraints off Angela and left the room with the doctor. Jacob got off the table and backed cautiously away from Angela.

"Please tell me I didn't just drink your blood! Please tell me I didn't!" he begged, looking very frightened to know that her blood had tasted so good.

Angela gulped. "You did." Jacob wilted to the floor on the spot. She ran to him and knelt over his body. "Wake up! Come on Jacob! Wake up!"

Slowly he opened his eyes and looked up at her. "Angel, I'm scared. I don't want to drink your blood!"

"It's OK. Don't think about that now! I just need you to help me find away out of here."

"um, yeah, OK."

Angela helped him to his feet, and they left the room, finding no guards in the hallway. They searched for a way out, finding an unguarded door not too far from the surgical room. They slipped out into the inky black night. They found the way back to their hotel room and both collapsed wearily on the bed.

"That was too easy an escape," Jacob commented.

"Of course it was. Now he doesn't have to keep chasing us. With you the way you are now, we're both guaranteed to die, no matter what happens to him. And maybe because you're different light won't affect you. If you go out into light and die, that leaves me still alive, which defeats his purpose."

Angela shivered. She'd said it so calmly, as if she were talking about Louis and Lestat from Interview With a Vampire. But then the reality hit her. She wasn't talking about some characters from a novel or a movie. She was talking about Jacob. Her best friend. This wasn't fiction. This was real life.

"Angel, it's not true. What he said. I'm not going to believe it at all. What I drank was just cranberry juice, or something. Now, I am going to bed and when I get up in the morning I'm going to have a huge plate of scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon. And I'm going to enjoy it! Good night, Angel."

Jacob promptly turned over and fell asleep. Angela got up and went over to the other bed. She slowly got underneath the covers and turned out the light. Lying on her side, she watched Jacob's outline rise and fall as he breathed, before she too, fell asleep.

✠

The next morning Jacob had his plate of scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon for breakfast. Angela had a bowl of cereal. Afterwards, they packed their things and went to another hotel in another town.

"God, I am so hungry!" Jacob exclaimed.

"But you practically just had breakfast!"

"I know, I know."

They sat around the room until it was lunch time, with nothing else to do. Jacob ate THREE ham and cheese sandwiches along with a tall glass of milk. Several days went by. Jacob kept eating regular food, and lots of it. But something was wrong. He was getting weaker, staying in bed more, and his clothes seemed to be getting too big for him.

"Jacob, what's wrong?" Angela finally asked.

"I don't know," he spoke as if something was in his mouth.

"Come on, sit up and I'll massage your back and shoulders for you."

Jacob weakly sat up. Angela put her hands on his shoulders, but immediately pulled them away.

"What?" There was still something in his closed mouth.

She cautiously touched his arm and drew back her hand in horror.

"Jacob, can you take your shirt off?" he shook his head. "Do you mind if I?" He shook his head 'no' again. Gently, she lifted the shirt, but before she was able to get it off, it dropped back into place. "Oh my God. Jacob, you're….I can clearly see each of your ribs! And every other bone you've got! How come you never told me about this!" He just looked sadly at her, his mouth closed. "Jacob? What's in your mouth? Why won't you talk to me?" He said nothing. "Open your mouth." He shook his head. "JACOB! NOW!" He only shook his head harder. "Jacob! Please!" she begged.

Slowly his mouth opened to reveal a set of vampire-like fangs. Angela jumped back and he closed his mouth.

"I didn't want to scare you," he said.


	3. part 3

The Net: "The Need For Blood": Chapter 3

"Oh my God. Um OK, Jacob you just lie back down and I'll be right back!" Angela said, getting up and going to the door.

"Don't leave me, Angel! Please don't!"

"It's OK, I'll be back soon!" And with that, she was gone.

She came back awhile later with a small bag and a mug. The bag she put on the table, the mug she took to the bed. She gently lifted Jacob's head off the pillow and put the cup to his lips. "Here, drink this."

"No. Angel, I won't. I can't. I told you before I'm not going to drink this." He pushed the cup away.

"Jacob, you don't have a choice. I'm not just going to stand aside and do nothing while you starve to death."

"Angel….."

"Drink."

He looked up at her. His eyes were filled with sadness. "Angel, I don't want to hurt you. Please don't."

"Jacob, come on, you have to. I don't want to lose you, no matter what happens, you're still my best friend. I don't care if you have to drink my blood to live. I'll do whatever it takes to keep you alive. Now, will you please hurry up and drink this?" She put the cup back to his lips and he reluctantly gulped it down. "Why don't you go to sleep for awhile, I'm sure you'll feel much better when you wake up."

"Angel, you're not going to leave me, are you?"

"No, I won't leave you." She put the cup on the night table and lay down beside him. "Just close your eyes and go to sleep. I'm not going anywhere."

She put an arm around him tentatively. When she did, she could feel his ribs slightly less than before. Her blood was working fast inside his body. They both fell asleep and didn't wake up until it was dinner time and Angela got up to draw more blood for Jacob with the needle from the small bag.

✠

Everyday for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, she would draw a cupful of her own blood and give it to Jacob to drink. And everyday, he got stronger, his ribs and bones stopped showing, and his fangs receded completely into his gums from lack of use. He started to leave the hotel room more often. They would go out and do things together, like shopping, or going to the movies. They began to have a life again, except for the fact that Sean Trelawney was still chasing them and Jacob couldn't eat in public.

"Angel, don't look now," Jacob said one day while they were out on the street. "But Sean's standing over there. He saw us! Run!" Jacob grabbed her arm, and together they ran up the street.

"In here! Hurry! He won't find you in here!" Angela and Jacob followed the youngish voice into a dark doorway.

They slipped through the door and into a dark room. Hands thrust them into a closet and closed the door behind them, just as the main door was pushed open menacingly.

"What's this? Who are you? What's going on?" an elderly man's voice asked.

"I'm looking for a teenage boy and a girl in her twenties. They came in here," Sean said.

"No. No one came in," the older man replied. "No one's been in here for years besides myself. I think I would know if someone else was in here."

"Yes, well, I'm very sorry to disturb you."

The door was opened and shut, Trelawney having left the building. The closet door was opened allowing Jacob and Angela to come out. When they did, they found Mariano standing before them.

"Mariano! What are you doing here!" Angela asked.

"Just helping out an old friend. Come on we've got to get you out of here and out to the Compound. Thanks Dad," he said to the older man. "No time to explain! Let's go!"

Angela and Jacob were shuffled out to a waiting car out back by several men wearing dark clothing and carrying heavy machine guns.

"What's the Compound?" Angela asked when the car was underway.

"We've formed a military group and we were just waiting to find you two. Now that we have, we're ready to move."

"What does that mean?"

"We're attacking Praetorian Headquarters tomorrow."

"You know where it is!"

"Just found it. And tomorrow, we go in."


	4. part 4

The Net: "The Need For Blood": Chapter 4

The Compound, they learned when they got there, was an underground bunker with a store room full of weapons, a meeting room, and several bedrooms.

"OK, it's getting late, you should get some sleep for tomorrow. Jacob, there's one bed left in the guy's room. Angela, I'll show you to your room," Mariano said.

"No. He stays with me," Angela countered.

"What?"

"You wouldn't understand if I told you."

"Alright, fine, if that's the way you want it. Follow me. I'll show you to your room." He led them down the hall to a small bedroom. "I'll see you in the morning. Tomorrow we go in there with guns blazing!" with that, Mariano left them alone.

Angela sat down on the double bed and pulled out a syringe from her back pack. Jacob turned and watched the closed door for intruders as she stuck the needle into her arm and began drawing blood.

"It's ready," she said when the cup was full. Jacob went over and took it from her. He drained it and licked it clean while Angela put the syringe away. "Get some sleep. We'll talk in the morning."

"There's only one bed, Angel."

"And it's a double. Get in, we'll make this work."

"Alright, if you say so."

Angela turned away from Jacob and began to change into her night clothes. When she was done and had turned back, Jacob was already in bed lying on his side. She got into bed behind him and put an arm around him, holding him close.

"Don't worry, everything will be alright."

"I hope so."

✠

The next day after Jacob had his breakfast privately, in their bedroom and Angela had eaten with everyone else, they all met in the meeting room to discuss the events of the day.

"OK, Angela, we need you to go in with us. Here's your gun." She took the weapon Mariano offered her. "And last, but not least, Jacob, we need you to bypass security and get us in there. Can you do that?" Jacob slowly nodded. "Good. I want everyone ready. We leave in five," Mariano finished.

"Angel, we need to talk." Jacob led her back to their room. "Angel, what if something happens to you? What am I going to do?"

She was already writing something on a sheet of paper. "Here," she said, handing it to him. "This will hopefully ensure that no matter what happens to me, you'll get my body, also hopefully, before my blood's gone." Jacob read the note, then just stared at her. "So you can keep yourself alive for as long as you can."

"Oh God." Jacob sat down hard on the bed with his head in his hands. "I couldn't….I just couldn't….."

"We're out of time. We have to go."

Angela pulled him to his feet and they went to join the others. During the quiet ride, Jacob recalled every word of Angela's note with a tremor in his heart:

"To whom it may concern, no matter what happens to me, my body, under any circumstances, must go to a certain Jacob Resh, BEFORE I go anywhere else!" It was signed "A.B."

When they got to their destination he realized that they were at a bank. Mariano went in with his men first. Angela and Jacob followed behind. When they were finally allowed entrance, everyone had been locked up in the vault.

"But," Mariano said. "That's not all the people. Get going Jacob."

Angela squeezed his shoulder and he went to work on the computer in front of him. He looked up from his work briefly to see Angela head down a flight of stairs along with the others. He went back to work, unlocking the doors that she would encounter along the way. Not being able to communicate with her was the worst part of it all. She was going into danger without him, in a sense. This had almost nothing to do with him needing her to live. No, this went deeper than anything he'd known or felt before in his life. He didn't know what it was, only that he had to keep his mind on business or else something could go wrong……. Finally, Jacob was able to unlock the very last door. He could only hope for the best and hope that he'd see her again. He crossed his fingers.

"OK, kid, put your hands up and don't move!"

Jacob did as he was told, but turned around slowly to face several armed policemen.


	5. part 5

The Net: "The Need For Blood": Chapter 5

Every single gun was aimed at him. One of the policemen put his weapon away and handcuffed Jacob's hands behind his back. The others left the room and ran down the stairs Angela had taken with Mariano. Jacob was pushed out to a police cruiser and put in the back seat. The cop stood guard outside. A few minutes later Jacob watched as Angela and Mariano were led out in handcuffs along with a few of Mariano's men. Angela stopped by the police car that held Jacob.

"Can I talk to him for a second, please?" she begged the cop. He looked at Jacob with his sad face and opened the door. "Hey, don't worry," she said. "Everything's going to be fine. I'll get us both out of this fix and then we'll be free of this whole mess forever. OK?"

"So, you mean you really are A.B. and not L.M.?"

"Yes, Jacob, I really am Angela."

Jacob smiled quickly at her, before she was lead away to another police cruiser. They were all put into prison, each, at opposite ends of the building. For three days, Angela said nothing to anyone. She couldn't stop thinking about Jacob, and how he must be starving. But was he OK, other than that? Was he being treated OK? She had no way of knowing. No way at all. Nor did she have any idea how to get them all out of there.

✠

"Ms. Bennett, there's someone here to see you," a guard said, unlocking the cell door.

"Jacob?" she asked, hopefully expectant.

"No. It's a Mr. Walter Cizelski."

"Who?"

"A lawyer or something. You're very inquisitive today, aren't you?"

Angela was quiet again on the walk to the interrogation room. Walter was there, in a plain brown suit sitting at the table.

"Are you my lawyer?" she asked. "Because of you are, there's another guy here who needs your help as well."

"No, Angela, I'm not your lawyer. Because you don't need one. Look, I'm here to give you a job opportunity, and if you take it, well, let's just say it's your 'get out of jail free card.'"

"Tell me more."

"Well, I work for the FBI and they want me to head up a subdivision of it, known as the CIC. Center For Internet Control. I would send you out to Quantico for training and then you'd work for me, policing the internet, and stopping computer crime. What do you say to that?"

"I…..this is too good to be true!"

"I have been studying up on your case. I know what you've been through. Look, I know you might not trust me, but right now, I don't think you've got any other choice. You know they'll put you away for life if they want. I wouldn't take those chances if I were you."

"If I take this, will you let my friends go?"

"Already done. I just watched Mariano and his buddies leave before I came in here."

"And Jacob? What about him?"

"I'm afraid he's going to have to stay. He's just a kid yet. A little jail time would do him some good. Teach him what he's done."

"No! You don't understand! You have to let him go! Look, I want both of us, Jacob, and I, out of here TODAY! If you can't handle that, then forget the job."

"OK, fine. I'll see what I can do."


	6. part 6

The Net: "The Need For Blood": Chapter 6

An hour later Angela was set free. After she had changed out of the orange jump suit, and back into her own clothes, she stood beside Walter, and waited for Jacob.

"Why isn't he here yet?" she asked after they'd been standing there for a long while.

A guard walked over to them. "We have a problem, sir," she spoke to Walter. "The boy won't leave his cell. He keeps asking to see Angela."

"Alright, let's go."

The three of them went to Jacob's cell, where a crowd of guards and doctors had gathered. Angela and Walter pushed their way through to the cell and found the door wide open. Jacob was huddled in the corner, knees brought up to his chest and arms around his knees. His bright orange suit looked huge on him.

"He's been like that all day," a doctor said. "And he hasn't eaten anything since he got here!"

Everyone was staring at him like a monkey in a cage, waiting to see what he would do next. Angela rushed forward into the cell and fell to her knees beside Jacob, wrapping her arms around him as she did so.

"Everything's going to be OK, Jacob. I'm getting you out of here now."

"Thanks, Angel," Jacob said weakly.

Angela looked up at the crowd in front of the cell, still looking at him. The doctor wrote something on a clip board and looked back at the teen.

"Something's going to have to be done with him. I think something's wrong mentally. We'll run some tests….."

"Leave him alone!" Angela shouted, cutting him off. "And stop staring at him like he's some kind of monster!" Her arms encircled Jacob tighter. "Because he's not a monster! He's a normal human being just like you and I! Just go away and leave him alone!"

The guards and doctors left at Walter's nod. Angela carefully picked up Jacob's nearly rail thin body and left the cell.

"Has your teeth grown back yet?" she asked.

"They only just started. They're still small yet."

"Good."

Jacob rested his head on her shoulder. "Who's that guy?" he asked, pointing to Walter.

"I'll explain later."

"Angela, can you please explain what's going on? What's wrong with him? Why won't he eat? And how can you just pick him up like that?"

"Walter, you ask too many questions. Maybe someday I'll be able to tell you. But I can't right now. OK? You've got to trust me about this, the same as I've got to trust you about that job."

"Yeah, OK, fine. But I'm letting you know I don't like it."

"Fine. Just leave us alone for a week. Give us time to recuperate."

"I don't like this."

"Yeah, well you're not the one who's starving, now are you? I need to get him home and take care of him as quickly as possible."

"Alright! Alright! I got your old apartment back. Here." Walter handed her the keys. "And, there's your car." He pointed up the street a ways at a small blue car.

"Thanks." Angela took the car keys from him and carried Jacob over to her car. Walter followed to help with the doors. "Look, Walter, I'll call you at the end of a week. I just want to spend some time with him and make sure he's OK."

"Alright. Here's my number." Walter handed her a business card. "But at the end we're going to have to talk about that job and sending you to Quantico ."

"Sure."

Then, with Jacob lying down in the back seat of her car, Angela drove home to her old apartment, which she hadn't seen in over a year.

✠

Entering her apartment, she found it just as she's left it that one rainy night so long ago. Several dead plants were overturned, dirt spilling out of their pots onto the floor. Her desk chair lay on the floor half way across the room from her computer which had been hacked into and the insides stolen. The cushions from her sofa had been spread throughout the apartment while the sofa itself was pulled away from the wall.

She felt a tremor in her heart at the sight but she quickly ignored it. She had work to do. Holding the door open with a brick, she carried Jacob inside and set him down gently on her double bed. She pulled the covers up over him.

"Jacob, I'll be right back. I just have to go to the store."

"Angel, I'm hungry…" he whispered.

"I know, Jacob, I know. I'll be right back to get you something to eat." And with that, she quickly left.

When she came back, she thrust the new needle into her vein and began drawing blood. She grabbed a cup from the kitchen and filled it up before bringing it to him. His eyes were closed when she saw him.

"Jacob, Jacob, wake up." Slowly his eyes opened. "Here." She lifted his head off the pillow and held the cup to his lips. He began to drink. He breathed deeply when he was done.

"Thanks, Angel."

"No problem. Just try to get some sleep," she said, resting a hand on his warm forehead. She brushed his hair back from his beautiful blue eyes.

"Where are you going?" he asked, his voice slightly stronger.

"I'm just going to clean this place up, since Sean messed it all up. Don't worry, I'm not going far. Alright?" Just call me if you need anything."

Jacob tried to nod but his eyes closed and he fell asleep before he could. Angela left the room and quietly closed the door behind her. She then went about putting her apartment back to order, after the trauma it had seen over a year ago.


	7. part 7

The Net: "The Need For Blood": Chapter 7

"Angel!" Angela heard Jacob call her name a few hours later. She looked at her watch. It was time for dinner. Almost without a second thought, she drew some blood and filled a mug. She took it to him and sat down on the edge of the bed while Jacob drank the mug dry.

"How are you feeling?" she asked when he was done.

"Much better, thanks to you."

"That's good. And those teeth?"

"Happily going away."

"Awesome!"

"Angel, can you tell me what happened? With Sean? And that guy you were with today?"

"Well, we went in with guns blazing. I got my name changed a lot of people died, and we got arrested, as you know. But I have no idea what happened to Sean."

"Oh, and the guy?"

"He's going to be my new boss. He asked me to work for him in the CIC, which stands for Center for Internet Control, which is a division of the FBI."

"How the heck did you manage that!"

"I don't know. But I told him I wouldn't take it unless he got you out of jail. He did and I have to call him in a week after you're well again. And after that, I do believe we're off to Quantico ."

"Cool!"

"Yeah, it is. Now, you get some rest while I get my own dinner and then I'll be back."

"Yeah, OK."

Angela stood up and went to the door.

"Hey, Angel?"

She turned back. "What?"

"You have a nice apartment."

"Thanks."

✠

One week later, Jacob was back on his feet and feeling fine as they stood in front of a small music store.

"Now, you're sure you're up to this?"

"Yes."

"OK. Are those teeth……"

"Angel! They're gone! OK? Now, let's just go in there and get this over with!"

"OK, alright. Let's go."

Together, they walked into the store. A man in his thirties stood behind the counter. "Angela."

"Walter. This is Jacob. Jacob, this is Walter."

"Hi. Um, I guess I should thank you for getting me out of there," Jacob said.

"No problem. OK, Angela, we need to talk about Quantico . Um, can we talk in the back room?" Walter glanced in Jacob's direction.

"Yeah, sure. I'll be back," she said to Jacob, who watched her follow Walter into the back room before he began to wander around the music store, checking out the CD's for sale. Mostly though, it was all Mozart, and Bach, and any other classical artist known to man. All boring stuff. He didn't listen in on Angela's conversation with Walter until he heard her say twelve words:

"I'll go, but only as long as you grant me one favor." Then, he was all ears.

"Alright," Walter was saying. "I'll give you one favor, depending on what it is."

"I need you to let Jacob come with me."

"Nope. Sorry. I can't do that."

"Well, you have no choice, either I don't go to Quantico and don't work for you or else Jacob comes with me and I do go and work for you. It's your choice. What's it gonna be?"

There was a deep silence in the back room for awhile, and then Walter finally spoke, "Alright. Fine. He can go. BUT, I don't want him getting in the way and causing trouble."

"Don't worry. I promise he won't get into trouble."

✠

That following week, the three of them boarded a plane and flew out to Quantico, Virginia where Angela was to start her FBI training. Jacob went to all of her training sessions and watched her learn to fight and to shoot.

"OK, Angel, I'm going to try to block any move you make, alright?" he said, standing in the practice ring opposite her.

"Are you sure you want to do this? I could hurt you, you know."

"Sure you could. But you need to practice and you need someone to practice with. Besides, after all I've done to you, I deserve any pain you put me in."

"Jacob, don't say that. You can't help what happened."

"Are you gonna practice or what?"

Angela sighed and began to throw some punches at him. With the blue pads, he blocked every move.

"You're getting good at this, Jacob."

"That's what I get for watching you, I guess."

She broke off from the punches and randomly threw in some kicks among other things. These were not always blocked, though she never kicked hard enough to hurt him.

"Come on, let's get this show on the road, shall we?" Angela said, throwing another punch at him.

Jacob threw down the pads and blocked her with his arm. As he did so, his other hand turned into a fist and sailed into her stomach. Her right arm came down to sweep his hand away before grabbing hold of his other wrist. Pulling him forward she twisting around to hold his arm over her shoulder.

"Aaach! You're good!" Jacob exclaimed.

"Yes, that was good," John, her trainer said, coming in. "Looks like you need to brush up a bit, Jacob,"

"Yeah, I noticed," Jacob said, with a slight smile.

"Alright, you can end this and go practice your shooting now. After that I'll let you go to lunch," John said before he left.

"Why did he have to mention lunch?" Jacob asked.

"Can you wait for awhile?"

"I think so."

"Good, let's go."

Together, they went out to the shooting range. Jacob sat on a bench several yards away and watched Angela as she shot several bulls eyes in a row. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye Jacob saw someone turn out of the line of FBI trainees practicing their shooting skills. He was standing up and running in two seconds when he saw the man aim his weapon straight at Angela.


	8. part 8

The Net: "The Need For Blood": Chapter 8

Jacob screamed Angela's name as he tackled the guy. The man fell to the ground and his gun slid a short distance away. Jacob turned him over and stared in shock at Sean Trelawney lying on the grass below him.

"Ah, so you're still alive, Resh. How's Angela? She run out of blood yet?"

Jacob punched him in the face, making his nose bleed. "You should know! You were about to kill her!"

"Was I? I had no idea."

Letting his anger build up inside him until he couldn't hold it in any longer, Jacob proceeded to beat him into a bloody pulp. Punch after punch, he kept it up, letting his anger out through each hit. Before he knew what was happening, gentle hands were pulling him to his feet. He found himself wrapped in Angela's arms. He felt her body shudder when she saw who was lying on the ground. She held him tighter. Both Walter and the paramedics arrived on the scene.

"He's dead," one of the paramedics told Walter before carrying Sean away on a stretcher.

"What's going on? Who was that?" Walter asked.

"That was Sean Trelawney," Angela said, her arms still around Jacob. "He….he was….a praetorian. Third in command. He escaped that day we were arrested."

"He was going to kill her," Jacob said. "I saw him. He had his gun out. He was going to kill her!"

"It's OK, Jacob. I'm OK. We're all OK. Come on, let's go back to my room for awhile."

Angela led him back to the single room she lived in while in training, leaving Walter to stare after them. They sat on Angela's bed and she held his head against her chest to try to comfort him.

"No. Angel, I can't do this. I can't be near you," he said a few minutes later.

"Why? What's wrong?"

"I can smell your blood. And my sense of smell had been growing stronger lately, especially when I'm near you and hungry." Angela let him go and got up to get the syringe and a cup. "Remember, only half full. We can't have you collapsing on the field."

"I know, I know."

There was a knock at the door as Angela handed the cup to Jacob. Quickly she put away the syringe and went to answer the door. Walter came in.

"We need to talk," he said. "About Jacob."

"What about him?" Angela went over to the bed where Jacob was sitting. She took the clean cup from him and set it on the night stand.

"He killed a man today. Please don't pretend you don't know that. You know what this means. He has to go to court and……."

"No! He can't!" Angela sat down behind Jacob and put her arms around him again. He just sat there and looked up at Walter along with Angela. Both had a certain sadness in their eyes. "Angela, he spent time in jail for what he did before. Obviously that wasn't enough."

"Look, Walter, I was trying to regain my identity then, he was only helping. You have no idea what the Praetorians were like. What they could do. Sean was one of the worst of them all. He'd kill anyone in an instant if he had to, just to get what he wants."

"He was going to kill her!" Jacob spoke up. "I was only protecting her! I only did what I had to!"

"Look, the main thing this comes down to, is that I…..we….need you to protect him from the law and any Praetorians still out there, if there are any, or else I can't take that job. I know I keep asking you for things, but it's only because he can't go to jail. We can't be separated for longer than a day. And, no, I can't tell you why. Maybe someday, but not now. You wouldn't understand. Can you just trust me on this? Please?"

Walter thought it over then sighed. "I don't know why, but I'm going to say yes."

"Thank you, Walter. Thank you so much!"

✠

Several weeks later, Angela stepped off the small stage and into Jacob's waiting arms.

"You did it! You made it!" he exclaimed. "You graduated from Quantico! I knew you could do it!"

She hugged him back, thanking him, before walking to the back of the room to see Walter, her arm draped around Jacob's shoulders.

"Well, you finally made it. Welcome aboard."

"Thanks," she said as they shook hands.

✠

"I'm back, Angela!" Walter called from the music store half of the CIC two months later. "I brought us lunch!"

"Um, yeah, OK! I'll be out in a minute!" she called from the back room as she quickly pulled the needle from her arm.

The curtain separating the two rooms flew back and Walter came in, carrying a paper bag. He stopped in his tracks when he saw her, sitting at her desk with a syringe and mug full of red liquid. Angela looked up and gulped.


	9. part 9

The Net: "The Need For Blood": Chapter 9

"What's going on?"

She stood up. "Don't ask." She gathered up the supplies and covered the mug. "Just don't ask." She walked past him, taking the paper bag from him. "Is this my lunch?"

"Um, yeah…." Walter dumbly stared after her as she left the store, got into her car, and drove away.

She arrived at Jacob's college dorm a few minutes later, to find him already waiting for her, holding the door ajar with his foot so it wouldn't lock him out.

"Boy am I glad to see you! You have no idea!" He let her inside. "Well, my roommate is gone for awhile so we have the room to ourselves."

"That's good because we need to talk."

"About what?" Jacob led her upstairs to the second floor, room 234.

"I'll tell you later."

When they were finally in his room with the door closed and locked and sitting on his bed eating and drinking their lunch she explained what had happened.

"So, he knows?" Jacob asked, when she'd finished.

"No. He doesn't. Well, not everything. I don't want to have to explain to him what he saw. Neither of us is going to tell him, not one word. OK?"

"Course. Wouldn't dream of it. I don't think I want to know what he'd do if he found out."

"Me too."

"So, what are we going to do for dinner tonight?"

"My place? Six pm ?"

"I'm there."

"Yeah, I know you are."

✠

Having no classes, Jacob spent the next day at CIC with Angela. And after spending the whole morning in the back room doing nothing but watching her work, he suddenly walked back out into the music store, without a single word. Angela got up and went to the doorway.

"Jacob?"

He only looked at her sadly and retreated to the other side of the room. Walter, who'd been standing behind the counter, watched them.

"What's going on?" he asked.

Angela nodded in Jacob's direction. "His nerves are acting up. I'll have to get his medication."

"What? I didn't know about this!"

"Of course, do you think we'd tell the whole world about it?"

"Well…..I…."

"Jacob, I just remembered that I don't have it with me so you'll have to come with me."

He madly shook his head just as the phone began to ring. "I can't do it!" he choked out.

Walter answered the phone and a few seconds later he hung up. "I've gotta go! Someone's got a lead on that virus creator guy we've been looking for. I'll be back soon. Don't need backup!" And with that, Walter was gone.

"Angel, please don't tell me you don't have…."

"I do. Don't worry, it's in my car."

Quickly she ran out to the car and came back with the supplies. She went into the back room and stayed there for several long minutes. When she finally came out, she held a cup in her hand, which she set down on the counter. She went back into the other room as Jacob took the cup and gulped its contents down. He followed her.

"Thanks Angel. You don't know how much better I feel."

"Yeah, can you tell me what happened?"

"It was my sense of smell acting up again and I had deep hunger pains all of a sudden. The only thing I could smell was your blood. I just….I had to get away before I did something to hurt you."

"OK…….I think I get it."

"It's been happening to me. It seems to grow worse every time."

"So, am I to believe that when you suddenly get up and leave the room……that means you're……..you're….."

"Yes, that means I'm hungry."

Angela sat down at her desk. "I guess I can handle that."

"Angel, you shouldn't have to handle this." Jacob set the cup down on her desk, licked spotlessly clean. He walked around the desk to her side and gave her a hug. "This shouldn't be happening. You shouldn't have to go through this."

"Jacob, there's nothing we can do."

"Actually, there might be something."

"What?"

"I can't tell you, and ruin the surprise. But I'll let you know if it works." He headed for the door.

"Jacob, wait!"

He turned back.

"Will I see you for dinner then?"

He hesitated only slightly before saying he would. He then left, with that same sadness in his eyes that had been there since Sean had turned him into a vampire, only now, it seemed to be deeper than ever possible. Angela missed the tear escape his eyes and roll down his cheek, as he walked away.

✠

Angela waited impatiently as the phone rang later on that night, until someone finally picked up. "Hello?"

"Hi, Walter, have you seen Jacob anywhere recently?"

"No, why would I have seen him? What's wrong Angela?"

"I haven't seen him since he left CIC at lunch time."

"Yeah, so what's wrong with that? He's a college student, what do you expect? He's probably just out partying with his friends."

"No! Jacob wouldn't do that. He's not into partying. Look, we were supposed to have dinner together and he never showed up. I called his dorm room and his roommate said he never came home after he left in the morning. It's now after eleven pm ! I'm worried about him! This isn't like him at all! Something's wrong!"

"Angela, calm down. I'm sure nothing's wrong. He's in college. I'm sure he can take care of himself. Why don't you just go to bed and I'm sure he'll show up in the morning."

"You'd better be right!" Angela hung up with her boss, and did as he'd instructed, though her heart told her something was terribly wrong.

Something's just not right! I know it. Something's wrong but I don't know what to do!

✠

The next morning, while she drank a single cup of coffee for breakfast, the doorbell rang. She jumped from her chair, spilling coffee all over her bathrobe. She ran to the door and flung it open, expecting to see Jacob standing before her.

"Hi, ma'am, I just need you to sign for this package." It was a UPS delivery man in his brown uniform.

"What? What package? I didn't send for anything."

"Your name is Angela Bennett, right?"

"Yes, that's me."

"Well, it says to Angela Bennett, right here. Can you sign here please?" he handed her an electronic clip board and she signed her name.

"Who's it from?"

"I don't know," he said, handing her the small box before going back to his truck.

Angela went back inside her apartment. Quickly, she grabbed a knife and opened the box. Inside, she found a note and underneath that she found crumpled paper surrounding and cushioning a smaller box. She unfolded the note and read:

Dear Angel,

This is just something I wanted you to have. Take care of it for me, please. Whatever you do, Angel, don't worry about me. I'll be fine. I just need sometime alone for awhile. Don't worry, I'll see you later….

Love, Jacob


	10. part 10

The Net: "The Need For Blood": Chapter 10

Not quite knowing how to react, Angela put down the note and picked up the smaller box. Upon getting it open she found Jacob's high school class ring. Her heart stopped for a moment as she took the ring carefully out of the box and held it in her hands. I knew something was wrong. I knew it. Jacob's not coming back. He knows he can't stay alone for too long. God, I've got to find him! Angela unconsciously slipped the ring onto her left ring finger and picked up the phone. She dialed a number and waited while it rang on the other end.

"Hello?" came a groggy voice.

"Walter, I'm not coming into work today."

"What's wrong?"

"Jacob's in trouble and I need to find him. I don't know where he is."

"Angela, you don't know he's in trouble. He probably just forgot about dinner last night and right now he's most likely still out partying with his friends."

"Jacob doesn't party! How many times do I have to tell you that! And I do know he's in trouble. He hasn't eaten since lunch yesterday. Don't ask how I know. I just do. He also sent me a package in the mail."

"What? Why would he do that? What's in it?"

"I don't know why he did it. But his class ring from high school was in it along with a note."

"Well, what did it say?"

Angela read him what Jacob had written. "Don't you see how he's in trouble? Can't you tell something's wrong?"

"Apparently he just wants time alone. I mean, you practically mother him all the time. I'm surprised he hasn't left sooner."

"Walter!"

"Sorry."

"Yeah, well why would he want time alone without his ring? What does that have to do with anything?"

"How should I know?"

"Look, Jacob hasn't been his normal self for about a year now. And you weren't there yesterday when he left. He had this really sad expression on his face."

"Why isn't he himself?"

"I…I can't really tell you."

"Why not? How can I help you if I don't know what's going on?"

"I just…..he's got some kind of disease. The doctors don't know what it is. He won't eat unless I make him."

"Why didn't you tell me that sooner? I mean, I'll admit that doesn't make much sense, but I'll go along with it anyway."

"I just need you to help me find him. Come on Walter! This is urgent! If he doesn't eat….."

"OK, OK, I'll meet you at the office in half an hour."

"Good, and we're taking my car."

"Fine."

Angela hung up and got ready to go, ignoring the coffee she'd spilt earlier.

✠

In the car, Angela gripped the steering wheel so hard her knuckles and even her nails were white. Both arms were white too. She drove slowly along, her eyes peeled for signs of Jacob.

"Angela, it's been five days. You've been driving for five days straight! Don't you think it's been long enough? We've been all over this city. We haven't found him yet. I think we should either call the cops and file a missing person report or abandon this whole thing. I mean, I don't know how you are able to stay awake. I haven't slept in five days and I'm tired. I can't keep going like this!"

The car braked to a sudden halt, surprising Walter.

"NO! I'm not giving up! You wanna get out and go home! Then go! Get out of here! I'll continue on my own! I don't need you! But I'm not giving up until I find him!"

"No, I'll stay," he said wearily.

"This is the longest he's ever been without food. And we're not calling the cops!" Angela said as the car continued forward again.

"Why not?"

"They'll call for an ambulance. They won't know what's wrong with him or how to help him. I can't have that."

She slowed down quickly to a sudden halt again, throwing Walter and herself forward a bit.

"What?" he asked.

"That's his car! That's Jacob's car!"

"What would he be doing in the deserted parking lot of an old factory fifteen miles out of town that's been empty for twenty-five years?"

Angela ignored him as she sped across the parking lot. She stopped just inches from Jacob's red Dodge Intrepid. She rushed over to the car and looked inside. Jacob was there, lying in the backseat, his eyes closed, and his body rail thin again. She could plainly see his ribs through his t-shirt. She tried the door but it was locked. So were all the others. She looked around wildly for something to break the window. Finding nothing, she quickly raised her elbow and smashed her way into the car with a brute force neither Walter, nor she, ever realized she had. She unlocked the door from the inside and climbed in alongside Jacob. She found a note in his hand. Prying it lose, she read:

Angel,

I'm so sorry, but this was just something I had to do. I couldn't bear to see you hurting because of me. Having me around was only ruining your life. This way is better for both of us. At least one of us will survive Sean. I thank you for all you've done. You've been a wonderful friend, the best I've ever had. Thank you. Thank you so much. May you live on to lead a wonderful life! I'm sure I'll see you on the other side when your time eventually comes. Thank you and goodbye for now.

Love, Jacob.

Tears sprang to her eyes and rolled down her cheeks as her hand covered her mouth. "Oh my God! How could he do this to me! Jacob! No! You can't do this! No! You can't leave me!" She brushed the tears from her face with the back of her hand. "So this is your big plan, huh? This is it? This is what you had in mind? The big plan you couldn't tell me about! How could you! How!"


	11. part 11

The Net: "The Need For Blood": Chapter 11

Quickly, Angela looked around the car until she found an old mug in the front passenger side seat. She grabbed it and a piece of glass from the window and proceeded to cut her arm while Walter watched, very much confused. A look of deep pain covered her face as she bit her lip to keep from screaming. Her eyes were shut tight, squeezing out tears of pain, as the glass slit her arm. She filled the mug with blood, lacerating her arm several times to get enough blood.

Finally, Walter came to in a snap from his confused state. "Angela! What are you doing! Do you want to kill yourself!"

She put the cup to Jacob's lips, now ignoring the pain in her arm and commenting out loud, "God, if he hasn't smelled me by now…..God please! Let him still be alive! Please! I'm begging you! Jacob please! Don't do this to me!"

"Angela, what's going on? What are you talking about? Him smelling you? What's that about? I demand to know!"

Jacob lips parted slightly by the cup and Angela could tell his fangs were back again. She tilted the cup a little and watched as a little bit of blood passed into his mouth. Immediately, his eyes popped open. She helped him sit up and held the cup to his lips again. He greedily gulped it down, licking it clean afterwards. He then looked up at Angela's obviously relieved face.

"Why did you do that, Angel?" he finally asked.

"Yeah, I would like to know that too!" Walter said.

Angela looked from her boss back to Jacob. "I did it to save your life! I'm not going to let you die Jacob. No matter what the reason! I don't want to lose you." She took his ring off her finger and placed it back on his hand.

"Angel, please, I don't want you to have to go through this! Please!" Jacob begged.

"I'm sorry, Jacob, but I am going to go through this. I want to see you alive and well. I want to see you around. I'm not going to lose you and that's final. There's nothing more to tell you." Jacob sighed and closed his eyes. "Jacob?" her voice was full of concern.

"I'm OK. I'm just weak and…..if I could get away……I would."

"Right. Don't worry, I'll have you home and taken care of in no time." She brushed some glass off his boney legs and got out of the car, closing the door gently behind her. She brushed glass out of the car wheel's way. "Walter, here are my keys, I need you to speed back to my place as fast as you can. I'm going to follow you. Hurry!"Angela jumped into Jacob's car, picked up his car keys from the floor and started the engine. Walter already had the flashing light on the roof of her car as she sped out of the parking lot. "Hold on!" she said to Jacob as she followed her car.

✠

They arrived safely at her front door not long after. Walter watched from the bedroom doorway as she carried Jacob inside and put him in her own bed. "Walter, I'll talk to you in a few minutes." She closed the door and went back to Jacob, taking the syringe from the drawer of her night table, where she'd put it after coming home five nights ago.

"Angel, please don't! Not again so soon," Jacob begged weakly.

"If I don't, you'll die."

"Your arm."

She looked down to see that her arm was still bleeding from the glass cuts. A long trickle of blood had slowly made its way down her white arm to her wrist. "Oh."

"Here, let me? I think I can make it stop bleeding. Can I?"

Jacob weakly reached out for her arm. She let him have it, not knowing what else to do. Trying to ignore what was happening to her, she closed her eyes. It was one thing to fill a cup with a syringe, and have him drink from that. But to have his tongue….licking her arm, that was another thing all together! She knew though, that if he didn't, she'd be wasting precious blood, and he needed all that she could spare. Slowly, his tongue made its way up her arm to the many slash marks made by the car's window glass. Gently, he began to suck on the bleeding slits in her skin. She was acutely aware of his fangs touching her skin and she knew he could easily have sucked her dry. This could be her death. She had to put all of her trust into him. Feeling his mouth on her arm, gently sucking her blood, she began to relax, succumbing to his blood searching mouth, letting him have his way with her arm. He sucked lightly, never too hard, as her blood flowed easily at first into his waiting mouth. And then, just as quickly as it had started, he was finished. He licked the slits a few extra times to ensure no more blood would escape her body, and then he let her arm go. She slowly opened her eyes and looked at him.

"I don't think it'll bleed anymore. Just wrap it in something, a huge band-aid or something. OK?"

"Yeah, sure."She looked at her arm. Though she could still see where she'd cut herself, there was no more blood. She looked back at him. "Thanks."

"No problem. Are you going to tell him the truth? I mean, he saw us before, in the car," Jacob said, referring back to Walter, still waiting for Angela to talk to him.

"I don't know…."

"Just tell him. If he leaves us, we'll deal with it. We've dealt with worse before. We'll deal with whatever happens. Now, Walter's out there waiting, and then get some rest yourself."

"Yeah." She looked at him for a few seconds before leaning over and kissing him gently on the lips. When she pulled away his eyebrows were raised in surprise and amazement. "Jacob, just please promise me you won't do that again. You really scared me when you did that."

"I promise."

"Thanks. I'm just glad to have you back safe and sound."


	12. part 12

The Net: "The Need For Blood": Chapter 12

"OK, can we talk now?" Walter asked when she came out of the room to wash the cup in the sink.

"Yes. What do you want to know?"

"I know the last time he ate was five days ago, but I could clearly see his bones.ྭ That shouldn't happen that quickly, should it? And then his teeth. Something was wrong with them. I didn't get a good look at them, but I could definitely tell something was wrong. And then the caper of it all, you gave him blood to drink and it woke him up! It…..it….it made him better somehow! I don't understand. What's going on with him?"

"First of all….." Angela felt woosey and light-headed suddenly as she struggled to hold on to the edge of the sink. Her grip wasn't strong enough and she collapsed on the floor.

"Are you OK?" Walter grabbed a hold of her arm to support her. "How much blood did you give him?"

"Not enough. I need to go lie down," she said as he helped her to the couch in the living room. He sat in a chair facing her. "Now, as I was saying, first of all, there's nothing wrong with Jacob's teeth. Nothing at all."

"What do you mean? I saw…I don't know what, but he's never had teeth like that before!"

"Of course. They're fangs. You've probably never seen fangs before. Especially in a human."

"WHAT!"

"Do you believe in vampires?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Just answer the question."

"Well, I don't know. I'm not sure."

"You believe in Big Foot, right?"

"Um, yeah, I guess so. Why?"

"Then it shouldn't be too hard for someone like you to believe in vampires."

"Oh. I suppose…."

"Look, Jacob is a vampire."

There was a deep silence in the room. Angela looked up at the ceiling, avoiding Walter's stare. She'd spilled the truth. Now all she had to do was wait for him to think it over and make a reply. She could envision him yelling and running out of the room. She'd never see him again. She'd have to move. Take Jacob somewhere else. Find another job. Somehow, keep him safe. But keep him safe she would, somehow, someway, until the end, when she ran out of blood for him. She would do it no matter what it took.

"OK," Walter said slowly. "How? Why? He wasn't born that way, was he?"

"You wanna know how ruthless the Praetorians are? Sean made him this way. Before that he was a normal guy. But Sean kidnaped us and changed Jacob's genes to that of a vampire who requires only blood to live." A scared look quickly covered Walters face, as if he was wondering why he was there, in an apartment with a starving vampire who could easily kill him. "But it's not as simple as that," Angela continued. "Only blood will keep him alive and normal food does nothing for him. In the beginning he ate more food than I've seen all at one time and he grew as thin as he is now. It gets even worse though, and here's where you don't have to worry about your own life. He can only drink my blood. Sean had his vampire genes tuned to my blood. I guess is a good way to put it. It was Sean's way of slowly killing us both. He may be dead himself now, but we're still gonna die a lot sooner than we normally would, thanks to him. And that's why he went with me to Quantico. Why we don't part. And it's also why I 'mother' him, as you put it."

"I'm sorry about that. I didn't know. You just obviously care about him deeply. Otherwise he'd have been long gone by now. I mean, you'd have to, knowing that he's going to slowly kill you over time. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to put it like that. I guess it makes some sense. I still find this a bit hard to believe. But what about those….those….teeth? He doesn't have them all the time, does he? And what about daylight? Isn't that supposed to kill vampires?"

"No. It's only when he goes hungry for a long time that his teeth grow back. Usually I use a syringe and fill a cup for him. Then, since he doesn't need the teeth they recede back into his gums."

"Oh."

"And as for the daylight, don't believe everything you see on TV and the movies. He's different than them, and I don't mean just cause he only needs my blood. Those on TV aren't real. Jacob is. If he could die from the light he could accidentally kill himself and I'd still be alive, destroying Trelawney's plans for our deaths."

✠

After everything had been explained and Walter decided to leave, to digest all this weird information back home, Angela got off the couch and went back to her bedroom, to check on Jacob. Quietly opening the door, she leaned against the doorframe and watched Jacob sleeping soundly in bed. She felt a sudden urge come out of nowhere to go wrap her arms around him, hold him safe within her arms while he slept. She remembered him telling her to get some rest, and a wave of tiredness fell over her, and filled her veins, as her body struggled to make up for the blood she had just lost to him. But Walter's comment remained in her head as well. Jacob WAS killing her slowly over time. Jacob was right, she'd have a normal full life without him killing her with his need for her blood. He was killing her. And today, he'd had his first experience sucking blood right from her body. Who knew what would happen if she did decide to sleep with him. Sometime in the night he could get hungry and she'd never wake up in the morning. But then, he was killing her anyway. She was going to die soon when she eventually ran out of her precious blood. If anything happened in the night, it would only speed up what was to come. She would put her trust in him again, trusting that she'd wake up in the morning to a hungry Jacob patiently waiting for his cup. She closed the door quietly behind her and went over to the bed, lightly climbing over him to the other side. She wrapped her arms around his bone thin body, holding him close and safe.

How could you do that to me? You scared me to death! I need you in my life, more than you think I do. After all we've been through I can't live without you. Please, don't do that ever again, please! She begged silently as more tears spilled down her cheeks. Please!


	13. part 13

The Net: "The Need For Blood": Chapter 13

Angela moaned and rolled over, her senses slowly coming to from her night's deep sleep. When she was fully awake, she realized that Jacob was too. He was still weak, but he turned over to face her as best as he could.

"Angel, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I didn't mean to hurt you. I only thought it would be better that way. I thought well, they expected us both to die, but that way, at least one of us could make it, and then we could finally say we beat the Praetorians. And at least one of us would go on to lead a full life. We both know I can't. But there's a chance for you. I'm really sorry. Really. You know, I woke up in the night, and couldn't go back to sleep cause what I did just wouldn't leave my mind. I never dreamed I'd end up hurting you by doing that. Angel, I'm sorry, and I promise I won't do that again, OK? I promise."

"It's OK. I probably would have done the same if I were in your shoes."

"Yeah, and I wouldn't have let you….." Jacob sighed. "I guess I should have thought of that."

"Stop worrying over it. It's over. You're back here where you belong. Now look, why don't I go get breakfast for both of us as well as the TV and I'll come back here and we can spend the day watching TV in bed all day? Sound like fun?"

"Yeah, sounds good. Don't know what else I'd do otherwise."

Angela got up and went to the kitchen. As she was cooking eggs for herself, and drawing blood from the arm that wasn't bandaged, the phone rang. Pulling the full syringe out of her arm, she picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Angela, it's me, Walter."

"Walter? What's up?"

"I was praying you'd be up. I've got some great news for you!"

"Um, OK, what?"

"After we talked yesterday, I did some thinking. And I know this doctor, he believes in Big Foot too, in case you're wondering. Well, I talked to him last night. And he said he could help."

"Help? What do you mean?"

"He might be able to change Jacob's genes back again. You know, back to a normal human, instead of a vampire." There was a long silence on her end. "Angela?"

"Are you serious! Can he really do that!"

"He thinks so. Of course, there is no guarantee. Either he'll be back to normal or he'll remain the way he is now."

"When can he do this?"

"Whenever Jacob's well again. Whenever he can make it in. There's just one catch."

"What's that?"

"Well, besides there being no guarantee, you can't go with him. You both need to stay as far apart as possible."

"Oh. How long will this take? Do you know?"

"Well there's no guarantee there either. Maybe a week, possibly two. Hopefully no more than that."

"OK, wow, this is just amazing! Well, let me talk to Jacob, see what he thinks of all this."

"Sure."

✠

When Angela got back to Jacob, all she carried with her was the cup of blood.

"What happened to your breakfast?" Jacob asked.

"I was talking on the phone to Walter, and I wasn't paying attention to it, and well, the eggs burned."

"Oh. That's too bad. The poor eggs! Being burned like that!"

And there it was, as Angela handed him the mug, she heard it, the hint of his old self showing through the curtain of sadness that had draped itself over the both of them. And now, having his old self back for good might become a reality. When the mug was clean he looked up at her. She had a weird look on her face.

"What? What's wrong?"

"Jacob, you're, you're, I can't explain it. But, you haven't made a comment like that since….since…well, since before Sean made you this way."

"Yeah, so? What about it? What are you getting at?"

"Walter called this morning to say that he knew a doctor that might be able to make you normal again."

"WHAT! Are you serious!"

"I am."

"Tell me about this!"

"Well, it could take a week, maybe two. I can't go with you. And, it might not work. You might come back still needing blood."

"I'll take that chance. When do I go?"

"When you're well again, if you want. No sooner than that, but any time after."

"OK, I'm all for it!"

"Alright. I'll go call him back now, and then try to make my breakfast again. Maybe I'll just have a bagel or something."

✠

The following week Angela stood in front of her apartment facing Jacob. She reached out and pulled him into a tight embrace.

"I'm gonna miss you," she said.

"I'll miss you too."

"Just promise me you'll come back to me. Human or vampire, I don't care. I just want you to come back. OK? Will you promise me that?"

"Of course."

"And if you need ANYTHING, you call me. OK?"

"Yeah, OK."

When they finally pulled apart Jacob took his class ring off and put it back on Angela's hand.

"Jacob…."

"Just hold onto it for me, until I come back."

"Alright."

Jacob got into his Intrepid with its new window and Angela watched him drive away before she left for work.

✠

"You've been very quiet lately, I've noticed," Walter casually mentioned a few days later. "Since Jacob's not here, I figured you'd be worried or something."

"You just thought I'd be wondering out loud how he's doing over and over again, right?" "Well, yeah, I suppose….."

"I am worried about him. I wonder every second, if this is gonna work, and if he's gonna be OK. I'm just trying to keep my mouth shut, so I don't bother others like you. I'm keeping my worrying and hoping to myself."

"Oh, I see."

"God, I wonder, what's going to happen to him. Is he going to be OK? Will this work?" She saw Walter giving her a look. "Yeah, I know. I just…I guess I can't keep it in for too long. Oh, this HAS to work! It just has to!"

✠

Two weeks later, Angela sat at her desk typing a report on her latest case when suddenly she felt arms encircling her. Someone leaned around and kissed her full on the lips. She was so surprised and shocked she stood up and whirled around to attack. When she saw who it was she quickly changed modes and literally bear hugged him. "Jacob! You're back!" She let him go and looked him over. He wasn't thin or boney at all, and he hadn't had her blood in two whole weeks!

"Thanks to that guy, I'm back to normal now! On Monday I had spaghetti for dinner. Tuesday I had French toast for breakfast, tacos for lunch, and turkey and potatoes for dinner. Wednesday I had pancakes, ham and cheese sandwich, and fried chicken. Thursday I had cereal, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a salad, and macaroni and cheese! And that was only last week!"

"Oh my God! You look so great! This is so awesome!"

"Wanna celebrate?"

"Celebrate? Jacob, I think we'll be celebrating our whole lives!"

He threw an arm around her shoulders. "I talked to Walter and he's giving you the day off so we can spend it together however we want!"

"Then what are we waiting for!"


End file.
